Panel cut-out and receptacle.



PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

F. T. WHEELER.

PANEL OUT-OUT AND RBGEPTAOLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK T. WHEELER, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PANEL CUT-OUT AND RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed February 18, 1905. Serial No. 246,263.

To wZZ wlwnt it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK T. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Panel Cut-Out and Receptacle, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in panel cut-outs or switchboards adapted for use in connection with plug cut-outs or fuseplugs having an exterior-threaded sleeve-contact and a central end contact, and relates more particularly to the insulation of the receptacle and its contained plug or cut-out.

The special object of the invention is to provide a fuse-receptacle or a receptacle into which may be inserted a plug, a fuse member,

or a lamp, the several parts of which, including the insulating-casing, may be assembled on the face of the panel.

A further object is to provide a very simple and effective arrangement of contacts in a receptacle and arrange in connection therewith removable insulating parts which will cooperate with the receptacle and be held in place on the board.

A still further object is to provide a sectional insulating member which can be applied to a metallic receptacle and removably secured thereto upon the base or support, completely inclosing and insulating the contacts of the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front face view of a portion of a panel-board, showing the parts in place. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the fuse-receptacle and contacts on the line an as of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the insulating members of the receptacle. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the central studcontact. Fig. 5 is a view of the insulatingbushing underlying said central stud-contact. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the end of one of the conductors. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the threaded sleeve-contact. Fig.8 is a detail view of the insulatingbushing underlying said threaded sleeve-com tact. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the end of the conductor which is connected with the central stud-contact.

I-Ieretofore it has been common practice to mount conductors upon a base of insulating material and lead these conductors into a receptacle comprising a base and casing of insulating material having mounted therein a pair of contacts as, for instance, a tubular screw-threaded shell with a cooperating contact centrally arranged with relation thereto. Such receptacles have been in the form of complete structures and could not be assembled piece by piece upon the panel or switch board. In case the insulating part of the receptacle, which is of a frangible material, was broken the whole receptacle must be removed to renew the broken parts.

It is the object of the present and here inaftendescribed invention to obviate such troubles and provide a receptacle which may be assembled piece by piece upon the face of the board or base.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a base of insulating material, such as a panel-board or switchboard, upon which are arranged conductors 2 3, each provided with terminals 4 5, to which may be connected a main-line circuit. These conductors 2 3 are shown at one end as connected with a knifeswitch 6, which may control a branch circuit 7 8. At the opposite end of the conductors is also a branch circuit, (indicated at 9 10.) Intermediate the branches 7 8 and 9 10 are mounted receptacles 11, embodying the features of the invention.

The main conductors 2 3 are laid flat upon the panel or base and are covered with insulating-washers 12, which insulate the conductors, as 3, from the branch conductor, as 10. The branch conductor, as 10, has an enlarged inner end 13, which overlies and rests in contact with the base of a screw-threaded shell 14. Overlying the end 13 of the branch conductor 10 is an insulating-washer 15, and through the several parts is passed a stud 16, having an enlarged head 17, and at its lower end is threaded, as at 18, into the main conductor 3. The branch conductors are ordinarily provided with headed binding-posts, which being passed through the panel board or base secure them in place, and yet permit the removal of the stud 16 and appurtenant parts. The shell 14 forms one contact-wall, the head 17 of the stud 16 forming a cooperating contact of the receptacle, and into the sleeve 14 may be screwed any suitable device, such as a fuse-plug, lamp-base, or other contact part which it is desired to use.

Surrounding the shell 14 and appurtenant parts is a sectional insulating-casing 19. This is preferably made in two parts 20 21, the lower section 20 having transverse openings 22, permitting the lower edge of the part 20 to come into close contact with the base of insulating material 1. The upper edge of the part 20 is preferably beveled, as at 23, and into this fits a cooperating beveled edge 24 of the section 2 1. The section 2 1 is threaded to fit upon the outer screw-threaded surface of the shell 14. It will thus be seen that the lower section 20 of the insulating-casing may be dropped over the shell 14, and when the upper section 21 is firmly screwed into place about the shell the several parts are securely held in position. The shell 14 and appurtenant contacts are thus completely inclosed and insulated. If the insulation is broken in any manner, it may readily be replaced at a moments notice without disturbing the metallic contact parts of the receptacle, which are in place upon the base. Fur thermore, after the whole receptacle is destroyed for any reason its several parts may be readily replaced from the face of the board. The obvious changes from such an arrangement are apparent.

Obviously various changes in details of the arrangement might be made without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention, which contemplates a receptacle of the sort described so arranged that its several parts may be assembled on the board and may be removed piece by piece for renewal or other purposes.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a panel or switchboard provided with circuit-terminals, a pair of contact members removably secured to the base and connected respectively with said circuit-terminals, one of said contacts clamping the other in position upon the panel, and 'an insulating-casing inclosing said contacts removably interlocked with respect to one of them and resting against the panel.

2. In combination with a panel or switchboard provided with circuit-conductors, a stud-contact connected with one of said conductors, a threaded sleeve-contact engaging the other of said conductors and surrounding the stud-contact but insulated therefrom,

a shell of insulating material detachably secured upon the panel through interengagement with the tubular contact and surrounding the center and tubular contact members.

4. In combination with a panel or switchboard provided with removable circuit-terminals, a center contact connected with one panel terminal, a threaded sleeve contact connected with the other panel-terminal and clamped in position on the board by the center contact, and a sectional insulating-sleeve detachably secured upon the panel through interengagement of one of said sections with the tubular contact.

5. In combination with a panel or switchboard provided with circuit-terminals extending along its surface, a center contact connected with one panel-terminal, a threaded sleeve-contact connected with the other panel-terminal, said sleeve-contact and circuit-terminals being clamped with reference to each other by the center contact, a sectional insulating-casing comprising a plural ity of tubular sections, the adjacent meeting edges of said sections being tapered to engage each other, and interengaging screwthread connections between one of said insulating-sections and the contact-sleeve for clamping the several sections in. position against the panel and surrounding the tubular contact.

6. In combination with a panel or switchboard having circuit-conductors arranged upon its surface, and arranged in extension one with the other, an insulating-bushing intermediate the adjacent overlying ends of said circuit-terminals, a threaded sleeve-contact in engagement with one of said circuitterminals and insulated from the other,a studcontact having a screw-threaded engagement with the other of said circuit-terminals with an insulating-bushing interposed between it and the threaded sleeve-contact, said studcontact serving to clamp the various parts in position, and an insulating-sleeve surrounding the threaded sleeve-contact and held in position upon the panel through in terengagement with said threaded sleeve-contact.

7. In combination with a panel or switch board provided with circuit-terminals, a pair of contact members removably secured to the base and connected respectively with said circuit-terminals and a sectional insulating-sleeve detachably secured upon the panel through interengagement of one of said sections with one of the contact members, the base-section of said tubular contact having openings through its side walls through which the panel-terminals extend.

FRANK T. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

J. R. TRUMBULL, O. W. Joints. 

